Cold-Weather Gear to Put on Your Holiday Wish List

Thank you to Nike for collaborating on this post about cold-weather gear. All opinions are my own.

Spanish novelist Miguel de Unamuno once said that man dies of coldness, not of darkness. This time of year, those words speak to me more in the literal sense than the figurative one. In the past week, temperatures in St. Louis have dipped as low as 29 — and for this SoCal native, anything below 55 is pretty uncomfortable.

When Life Takes You Outside

I’m not the type of girl who can bundle up and/or stay inside until April. I’m a runner who gets bored on the treadmill and an equestrian who’s pretty much addicted to riding. So while I love the creativity of layering up with scarves and puffers and beanies, that strategy fails me sometimes. Running all bundled up is miserable. And, my horse would likely unsaddle me if I hopped on wearing a knee-length puffer.

Me and my hubby at the top of a warped wall in a mud run last summer.

My on my horse. It’s an indoor arena, but it still gets cold!

So, when I recently had the opportunity to try out Nike tech fleece and cold weather gear, I jumped at it. I’ve been a stable Nike wearer over the years — my Frees have many, many walking miles on them, and I have two Nike sweatshirts I’d classify as old favorites. Plus a few running tops and sports bras I’ve picked up over the years. But the truth is, I don’t buy Nike gear on the regular because it feels a little splurgy.

Wishing for Warmth

That’s where my holiday wish list comes in — it’s a running list of spendy wardrobe upgrades, and I turn to it when a random gift card or cash gift comes my way. High-quality cold-weather gear has a permanent spot on that wish list. And now that I’ve added a few new Nike pieces to my collection, I’ll just say it: if you love being active and hate being cold, you might put Nike gear on your holiday wish list too.

Cold-Weather Gear Picks

Joggers for Any Occasion

What’s not to love about a pair of sweatpants you can wear with heels? Seriously, joggers are the all-purpose pant. Of course I wear them as casual athleisure, but they also work for dressier occasions too.

For a run outside, I need serious active wear like this fleece-lined Nike Miler top. It has a high neckline for extra warmth, and it’s not that clingy fit that’s so pervasive with workout clothes — a good thing for an old broad like me! I expect to get tons of use out of this piece in the coming months, both on the trail and at the stables.

Catherine Brock is a writer, editor and marketer who's been sharing wisdom online since 2002. She's been featured on DrLaura.com, Wellness.com and ABC7 Chicago, FOX2News St. Louis and KCAL9 Los Angeles. Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.